Sign



,May 2s, 1935. ELTORSTENSQN A 2,003,126

SIGN

Fi1ed May 14, 1954 Patented May 28, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10 Claims.

AMy invention relates to signs, and more particularly to signs of the type making use of a translucent plate for the sign characters having a diffusing front surface and provided with '5 a reecting coat on the rear surface so that light falling on the sign character will be reilected and diffused so that the characters will be visible at night when illuminated by the light beams from the headlights from automobiles, etc.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide means for preserving the sign characters against the destructive effect of moisture and fumes which ordinarily attack the character at the edge of the junction between the translucent material and the reflecting coating.

A further object of my invention isto provide a sign carrier of the type indicated which will give an appearance of depth.

A further object of my invention is to provide a sign character of the type indicated in which the cut edges of the glass or other translucent material will be concealed.

Further yobjects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description -and claims.

In the drawing, in which my invention is illustrated,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a sign employing my improved sign characters; l

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the holder part of one of the sign characters;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View showing one of the sign characters in position on the backing;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a section corresponding to Fig. 4 but showing a different form.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and first to Figs. l to 4, inclusive, the construction shown comprises a backing member I which may be secured in place on an upright 2 and which may be of any suitable material, such as wood, a holder member 3, having the general outline of the sign character which may be of wood or any suitable material, such as composition, and which may be provided with a coating of preservative, or moisture-resisting material, a translucent plate 4 also having the general outline of the sign character and fitting in a recess 5 in the holder, and a setting of mastic Substance 6 forming a bed and serving to se,- cure the plate in the recess and also serving to seal the edges of the junction between the translucent plate 4 and its reflecting coating 1 against the action of moisture and fumes which ordinarily attack the sign character at this junction, causing it to disintegrate.` This mastic material may completely cover the back face of the reflecting coating, although, if desired, small pockets may be left in the mastic seal, still leaving the reflecting coating 1 completely surrounded yby mastic.

The translucent material may be of glass or any other translucent or transparent material and may be colored, or not, as desired. 'Ihe front surface of the translucent plate 4'is preferably of irregular contour to provide a diffusing surface for -the light rays emanating therefrom, reflected from the rear reflecting coating 1. The seating of the translucent plate in the recess in the holder also affords a substantial protection against the action of the weather and against missiles which might be thrown against the sign.

The mastic substance 6 may be of homogeneous material or it may bea composition of different materials, so as to have substantially the same coeicient of expansion as the reflecting coating l so that it will not tend to pull the coating away` from the translucent plate 4. The mastic also serves to hold the translucent plate in position by its suction and gripping action.

The construction shown in Fig. 5 is similar to that justdescribed, except that here the translucent plate 4 is sunk below the surface of the recessed holder 3 and a fillet 8 of mastic is applied to the angle between the translucent plate and the sides of the recess to serve as a protection against the entrance of moisture and fumes at this point and also to provide addi-l tional securing means. This fillet 8 also conceals the cut edges of the translucent plate so as to eliminate the necessity of grinding down the irregularities of these cut edges which frequently occur when cutting narrow strips of glass, particularly on curved lines.

This countersunk construction also gives an appearance of depth which is aided by the exteriorI outline of the holder 3. This so-called depth effect is further emphasized by the shades and shadows cast by the outer projections of the holder 3 upon the field of the signboard or backing and also by the shades and shadows cast upon the translucent plate.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art and it is desired, therefore, that my invention be limited only by the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

In the claims where I have used the expression translucent material, it is to be understood as meaning any material through which the light passes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A sign construction comprising a backing and individual sign characters mounted on said backing; each sign character comprising a holder member having the general outline of the character and having a recess therein also having the general outline of the character, a plate member fitting in said recess and also having the general outline of the character, said plate member being of translucent material having a diffusing surface and provided with a reflecting coating on its rear surface, and means in said recess for sealing against the entrance of moisture at the edges of the junction between the plate member and the reflecting coating.

2. A sign construction comprising a backing andindividual sign characters mounted on said backing, each sign character comprising a. holder member having the general outline of the character and having a recess therein also having the general outline of the character, a plate member fitting in said recess and also having the general outline of the character, said plate member being of translucent material having a diilusing surface and provided with a reflecting coating on its rear surface, and means in said recess for sealing against the entrance of moisture at the edges of the junction between the plate member and the reflecting coating, said sealing means comprising a bed of mastic in the recess covering the reflecting coating and the edges of the Junctiorrbetween the coating and the plate member.

3. A sign construction comprising a backing and individual sign characters mounted on said backing, each sign character comprising a holder member having the general outline of the character, and having a recess therein also having the general outline of the character, a plate member fitting in said recess and also having the general outline of the character, said plate member being of translucent material having a diffusing surface and provided with a reflecting coating on its rear surface, and means in said recess for sealing against the entrance of moisture at the edges of the junction between the plate member and the reecting coating, the outer face of said plate member being below the side walls ofthe recess and said sealing means comprising a fillet of mastic applied to the angle between the translucent plate and the sides of the recess to serve as a protection against the entrance of moisture and fumes at this point.

4. A sign construction comprising a backing and sign characters mounted on said backing each comprising a holder member having a recess therein having the general outline of the character, a plate member tting in said recess and also having the general outline of the character, said plate member being of translucent material having a diifusing surface and provided with a reflecting coating on its rear surface, and means in said recess for sealing against the entrance of moisture at the edges of the junction between the plate member and the reecting coating.

5. A sign construction comprising a backing and sign characters mounted on said backing each comprsing a holder member having a recess therein having the general outline of the character, a plate member tting in said recess and also having the general outline of the character, said plate member being of translucent material having a diffusing surface and provided with a reflecting coating on its rear surface, and means in said recess for sealing against the entrance of moisture at the edges of the junction between the plate member and the reflecting coating, said sealing means comprising a bed of mastic in the recess covering the reilecting coating and the edges of the junction between the coating and the plate member.

6. A sign construction comprising a backing and sign characters mounted on said backing each comprising a holder member having a recess therein having the general outline of the character, a plate member tting in said recess and also having the general outline of the character, said plate member being of translucent material having a diffusing surface and provided with a reflecting coating on its rear surface, and means in said recess for sealing against the entrance of moisture at the edges of the junction between the plate member and the reflecting coating, the outer face of said plate member being below the side walls of the recess and said sealing means comprising a llet of mastic applied to the angle between the translucent plate and thel sides of the recess to serve as a protection against the entrance of moisture and fumes at this point.

7. A sign construction comprising a backing, a holder member having a recess therein having the general outline of the character to be shown, a plate member held in place by said holder member and outlined by the outline of the recess in the holder member, said plate member being of translucent material having a diffusing surface and provided with a reflecting coating on its rear surface, and means in said recess for sealing against the entrance of moisture at the edges of the junction between the plate member and the reflecting coating.

8. A sign construction comprising a backing, a holder member having a recess therein having the general outline of the character to be shown, a plate member held in place by said holder member and outlined by the outline of the recess in the holder member, said plate member being of translucent material having a diffusing surface and provided with a reflecting coating on its rear surface, and means in said recess for ysealing against the entrance of moisture at the edges of the junction between the plate member and the reflecting coating, the outer face of said plate member being below the side walls of the recess and said sealing means comprising a fillet of mastic applied to the angle between the trans,- lucent plate and the sides of the recess to serve as a protection against the entrance of moisture and fumes at this point.

9. A sign construction comprising a backing, a holder member having a recess therein having the general outline of the character to be shown, a plate member held in place by said holder member and outlined by the outline of the recess in the holder member, said plate member being of translucent material having a diffusing surface and provided with a reflecting coating on its rear surface, and means for sealing against the entrance of moisture at the edges of the junction between the plate member and the reflecting coating.

10. A sign construction comprising a backing,

a holder member having a recess` therein having the general outline of the character to be shown, and a plate member held in place by said holder member and outlined by the outline of the recess in the holder member, said plate member being of translucentmaterial having a diffusing sur- 

